Real estate just outside the Western Conference playoff standings is a bit crowded and figures to stay that way until the end of the regular season.

The Grizzlies, who clearly aren't the same team that they were a month ago, are now closing in on one of the last two postseason berths.

Memphis (19-19) owns a .500 record for the first time since Dec. 9, and is getting healthier — mentally and physically — by the day. Now that center Marc Gasol is back from an MCL sprain, the Griz only await Tony Allen's impending return from a left wrist sprain to be whole again.

The Grizzlies' overall healing coincides with them being in relatively good shape in the standings.

Memphis is just three games behind Phoenix and Dallas for the seventh and eighth seeds in the playoff race.

The Griz have won four straight and six of the last eight. They went 3-1 on a recent homestand before winning Wednesday night at Milwaukee.

They can achieve a season-high, five-game winning streak with a home win Friday night over a Sacramento Kings squad that has won four of its past five games. This looms as another important game because of momentum. The Griz just leaped over the Minnesota Timberwolves to move into 10th place in the West. Memphis is going to wrestle Minnesota, Phoenix, Dallas and Denver for the next 44 games on the schedule.

"We just all want to win," reserve forward James Johnson said. "When you have a group of guys who want to win, it doesn't matter who is on the floor. We are going to be tough to beat."

Finding consistency is next.

Memphis won four straight games in November but followed that euphoric stretch with a five-game losing streak. The Griz were an on-and-off squad before this current successful run.

But the players believe they have turned a corner — and not just because Gasol is back on the court. The Griz have gone 9-4 since that five-game losing streak from Dec. 11-18.

"Everyone believes in what we are doing," said Gasol, who has played the past two games since missing 23 with the knee injury. "Everybody is on the same page. We are playing with a purpose and I think everybody is doing a great job of filling in and seeing where the knot is and we have to keep going. It's definitely not just effort. We have been sharing the ball, passing and doing the little things that we are supposed to do."

Coach Dave Joerger is enjoying the near-seamless additions of Johnson and Courtney Lee. Their athleticism and shooting have made a difference, as well as the productivity, leadership and calming influence the Griz continue to get from Mike Conley and Zach Randolph.

"I'm proud of the growth that we made," Joerger said. "Guys are playing for each other and cheering for each other. It is a happy locker room. Nobody's got their heads down and saying we didn't play very well."

In order for the good times to continue to roll, the Griz must meet a higher degree of difficulty on the schedule with even more discipline. They'll play more road games (25) than at home (19) and more back-to-backs (11) the rest of the way, starting with a Jan. 24 game at Houston.

Memphis has played just five back-to-backs so far but has that many over the next four weeks.

However, the feeling among players is that the worst is behind them.

"We are starting to play better as a unit, which obviously breeds confidence," backup swingman Mike Miller said. "We are starting to win games and that helps. When you go through situations where you are losing them you start to second-guess things. Right now we are plugging away and getting better."

The Grizzlies won the first meeting of the season, 97-86, on Nov. 17 at Sleep Train Arena. Memphis has won nine of the last 10 games against Sacramento, including the last five while holding the Kings to 84.8 points per game. Seeking a fifth straight victory, the Griz have allowed 91 points per game during their win streak. Sacramento, however, has wins over Portland, Miami, Houston and Phoenix. Cousins is a big reason for the Kings' success. The talented center leads Sacramento in scoring (23.4 ppg), rebounding (11.6 rpg) and steals (1.81 spg). Only three players in the NBA are averaging at least 23 points and 11 rebounds (Cousins, Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge), and Cousins has double-doubles in 12 consecutive games. Who to watch? Mike Conley. He's averaging 25.4 points in his last five home games. Conley has also averaged 22 points on 60.5-percent shooting in his last three contests against Sacramento.